Vol. 22 No. 15 - December 4, 2017

Lúnasa and guest soloist Ashley Davis will team up to set the mood for the holidays with traditional Irish tunes.

“Christmas from Ireland,” this season’s holiday program from the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series, will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in Baldwin Auditorium.

With some of the top musical talents in Ireland, Lúnasa indeed lives up to its name – drawn from an ancient Celtic harvest festival that honors the Irish god Lugh, patron of the arts. The band is known for its innovative and distinctive sound, featuring champion instrumentals and a driving rhythm section. After performing for more than 20 years, Lúnasa has raised the bar on performing traditional Irish music.

Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at lyceum.truman.edu or at Edna Campbells in downtown Kirksville. They are also available at the cashier’s window, located on the first floor of McClain Hall, between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. All tickets are $5.50 (includes tax).

Questions about the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series can be directed to pr@truman.edu or by calling 660.785.4016. Follow the series on Facebook for announcements regarding all lyceum events.

Graduation will include a familiar face as Truman’s own Zac Burden will provide the commencement address during the ceremony at 11 a.m. Dec. 16 in Pershing Arena.

Burden has served as the Missouri Hall director at Truman since 2004. He is in charge of the operational, supervisory and emergency management of the residence hall. He enjoys the opportunity to work with hundreds of new students each year and help make Truman a warm and welcoming home for them. Burden worked with the Missouri Hall community to take it through a $15 million renovation of the facility, reopening the building in 2007. He oversees operations of all seven residence hall desks across campus and has previously offered leadership for Residence Life’s Oktoberfest, athletics engagement, new student recruitment, student staff recruitment and training, and professional staff recruitment.

A Truman alumnus, Burden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 2003 and a Master of Arts in Education for secondary social studies in 2009. He completed his teaching internship at the Adair County R-I school in Novinger, Mo. A recipient of the General John J. Pershing Scholarship, he served as the Pershing Society’s treasurer. Burden was president of the Dobson Hall Senate, historian for the Student Senate and a member of the leadership team with the Baptist Student Union. He first joined Residence Life as a Dobson Hall desk worker and later a student advisor. It was in this role that he began offering historical tours of the campus to interest people in the University’s rich heritage. He went on to become the founding community coordinator at Missouri Hall.

Civic and professional engagement is important to Burden. A charter member of the Rotary Club of Kirksville – North Star, he currently serves as the club’s president. He has been active with service in Rotary at the local and regional level. Burden is a member of the Upper Midwest Region - Association of College and University Housing Officers and previously held regional committee roles. He’s been a longtime advisor of the Truman delegation to the University of Northern Iowa’s annual RA Conference and has twice been selected as a top conference presenter. At Truman, Burden volunteers as co-chair of the Kohlenberg Lyceum Series, member of the Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee and member of the University Bike Committee. He previously served as co-chair of the Office of Advancement’s Campus Community Campaign, as well as on various professional search committees.

Originally from Kansas City, Mo., Burden likes getting back to western Missouri to visit friends and family, including riding bicycles with his parents, Dennis and Connie Burden. His younger sister, Ashley, is also a Truman MAE graduate. She teaches science at Raytown High School in Raytown, Mo., and serves as an executive board member with the Kansas City chapter of the Truman Alumni Association.

Family and friends unable to attend the event in person can view it online at livestream.com/tmn/2017FallGraduation.

Details on commencement can be found online at truman.edu/registrar/commencement or through the Facebook event. Those wishing to share their experiences through social media are encouraged to use #TrumanGraduation, #TrumanGrad or #BulldogForever.

Truman has received a $1 million grant to support students pursuing majors in the agriculture science, biology, chemistry and physics departments.  

The five-year Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program, administered through the National Science Foundation, will provide more than $600,000 in scholarships for participants. In addition to receiving academic and professional development support from Truman’s STEM Talent Expansion Programs (STEP) Office, participants in the STEP Scholars Program will also enroll in a unique four-year series of scaffolded interdisciplinary research seminars and have the opportunity to earn a proposed interdisciplinary minor in scientific research.

The Truman team is led by Barbara Kramer, professor of chemistry; Stephanie Maiden, assistant professor of biology; and Tim Walston, associate professor of biology and interim dean of the School of Science and Mathematics.

More information about the STEP Scholars Program at Truman can be found at step.truman.edu.

The Joseph Baldwin Academy is seeking current Truman students to serve as preceptors for the 2018 summer sessions.

Preceptors live with the students in the residence halls. In addition to serving as resident counselors, they assist faculty members and students in the classroom. Preceptors are expected to be responsible, high-energy individuals who enjoy working with teenage students and are supportive of University goals.

Salary for a three-week JBA session is $1,500, plus room and board. The job looks particularly good on a resume for pre-MAE or MAE students, or those considering work in non-profit, human services or child-focused employment.

Potential preceptors for either academy must be a currently enrolled full-time Truman student with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Being a JBA staff member is a 24-hour-a-day commitment, and preceptors may not be enrolled in summer classes. JBA preceptors of all genders are needed.

To apply, potential preceptors can visit tiacademies.truman.edu/employment. Applications can be submitted in McClain Hall 303. In person interviews will be scheduled Feb. 22-24.

Prior to the summer sessions, preceptors will be required to attend orientation in April. They will also need to complete van training through the Department of Public Safety, as well as CPR and first aid training. They will also undergo a background check, including fingerprinting.

For questions about the application process, contact Jared Young at 660.785.5406 or tiacademies@truman.edu.

President F. Clark Elkins, President Emeritus Walter H. Ryle and Board of Regents president James R. Reinhard light the Flame to the Second Century, Sept. 2, 1967. Photo courtesy of the Special Collections Department in Pickler Memorial Library.

While the sesquicentennial is the most recent yearlong celebration in the University’s history, there have been others. The 125th anniversary received a considerable amount of fanfare in 1992, but perhaps the most remarkable was the Centennial Celebration of 1967.

Plans for the Centennial Celebration began in 1963 when the incoming freshmen, who would be the ’67 graduates, commissioned a commemorative flag as a class gift. By 1965, an advisory committee consisting of 77 people had been formed to determine the proper way to mark the school’s 100th birthday.

Among the 90 planned events to honor the centennial anniversary were various banquets, dances, musical and theatrical performances, receptions, dedications and a number of alumni gatherings. Festivities also included the installation and ceremonial lighting of the Flame to the Second Century. Originally located on the north end of the quad, the flame was moved to its current location in front of Kirk Memorial in 1981.

Truman’s English MAE program sponsored 25 graduate students’ attendance at the National Council Teachers of English annual convention in St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 16-20.

The convention’s theme this year was “The First Chapter,” and centered on refocusing the organization and its members toward refreshed sense of identity and mission. Attendees were able to hear from current classroom teachers as well as theorists and authors. Notable in this year’s speaker list was Angie Thomas, author of “The Hate You Give,” and Jason Reynolds, author of “Ghost” and “The Long Way Down,” his recent novel in verse.

Truman student representatives were: Katie Ashman, Christina Belt, Grace Bodman, Kyle Burre, Sarah Chabot, Madalene Davis, Rachel Davis, Denise de la Cruz, Stephanie Fox, Brighid Heffernan, Kristina Kohl, Autumn Lavezzi, Katie Lucarz, Kelly Mahaffy, Claire Miller, Emmy Nixon, Zoie Pearson, Rowan Rugh, Sujash Purna, Destiny Reed, Sarah Slane, Emily Stobbe, Arielle Sutton, Van Tegtmeier and Sarah Wappelhorst. Student registrations were paid through the English and Linguistic Department’s graduate student travel fund and a generous donation from an anonymous faculty member.  

Accompanying the students were professors Summer Pennell and Rebecca Dierking. Many Truman English MAE alumni were also in attendance.

The finalists for the position of vice president for student affairs will be on campus for open forums. A vitae for each candidate can be found on the search website at vpsa.truman.edu.

Ms. Janna Stoskopf
Assistant Vice President and Dean of Student Life, North Dakota State University
2:45 p.m.
Dec. 4
Student Union Building Georgian Room C

Dr. Sarah Swager
Most recently Dean of Student Success, Central Washington University
2:45 p.m.
Dec. 7
Student Union Building Activities Room

The Truman Trumpet Showcase will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall. On the program are works by Kent Kennan, George Enescu and Eugene Bozza, among others. The performance will also feature the Truman trumpet ensemble, under the direction of Eric Dickson, in the performance of “Images,” a brand-new composition by Daniel Kessner. Performances will feature Byunghee Yoo and Rachel AuBuchon on piano. This concert is free and open to the public.

11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Dec. 6
Student Union Building

Walk-ins are welcome, or schedule an appointment at redcrossblood.org using sponsor code trumanstate. Rapid Pass can save time the day of donation. This event is sponsored by Truman’s Staff Council.

Truman’s Ronald E. McNair Program will host a celebration of achievement in recognition of its graduating seniors and new scholars at 5 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Student Union Building Alumni Room.

The Truman brass choir will perform in concert at 8 p.m. Dec. 7 in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall under the direction of Eric Dickson. The concert is free and open to the public, and can also be viewed via livestream.

As a way of celebrating Truman’s sesquicentennial anniversary, the brass choir will begin the concert with “Fanfare and Alleluia,” a work created by Professor Emeritus Warren Gooch. The concert will also feature a performance of “Fugue in G Minor, BWV 578 ‘The Little’” by the Truman trombone choir, under the direction of Jay Bulen, and a performance of “Jingle Bells” by the Truman horn choir, under the direction of Patricia Mickey. The concert will close with an arrangement of the Christmas classic “Veni, Veni Emmanuel.”

The Del and Norma Robison Planetarium will celebrate the holiday season with a special event. “Santa in the Stars” will take place at 4 p.m. Dec. 9. Stop by for a short star tour, followed by hot chocolate and a photo opportunity with Santa.

For more information on other events, visit planetarium.truman.edu or follow the planetarium on Facebook and Twitter.

In an effort to provide some relaxation during finals week, the Wellness Zone will be offering free three-minute massages and holiday coloring pages from 7-9 p.m. Dec. 11.

Located on the first floor of Pickler Memorial Library, the Wellness Zone provides a stress-free environment on campus where students, faculty and staff can relax and practice stress management techniques. Massage chairs, coloring, games and puzzles are all available whenever the library is open.

Pickler Memorial Library will conduct its annual Food for Fines drive through Dec. 11. For every food item donated, $1 in fines will be waived.

All December graduates are invited to the Graduating Students Pizza Party sponsored by the Truman Alumni Association from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Dec. 13 in the Student Union Building Georgian Rooms.

Stop by the pizza party for a complimentary meal of pizza, veggies, drinks and cookies. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available on request. This will be an opportunity for students to pick up other gifts such as their first official Bulldog Forever alumni T-shirt.

Those students who cannot attend may stop by the Office of Advancement, located in McClain Hall 205, after Dec. 11 to pick up their T-shirt and goodie bag. T-shirts will also be given out at commencement, immediately following the ceremony.

Questions regarding the pizza party, goodie bags or T-shirts can be directed to Jordan Smith, coordinator of alumni relations, or check out the Facebook event.

Details on commencement can be found online at truman.edu/registrar/commencement or through the Facebook event. Those wishing to share their experiences through social media are encouraged to use #TrumanGraduation, #TrumanGrad or #BulldogForever.

Truman, in partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University, offers a fun and unique opportunity for students to study abroad in Scotland. Glasgow Caledonian University is one of the largest universities in Scotland with a self-contained campus situated right in the heart of the lively city of Glasgow. GCU also has a well-established reputation for providing high-quality teaching, learning and research. While in Scotland, students can complete 12 hours of credit at this beautiful university made up of three academic schools - School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow School for Business and Society, and School of Engineering and Built Environment. Take exciting courses in business, tourism, history, media and journalism, economics, psychology, events and sports management, law and more. All classes are taught in English.

Being an exchange program, participants will pay Truman tuition directly to Truman. This makes payment easy and affordable.

Students are responsible for arranging and paying Glasgow Caledonian University for all housing costs. Glasgow Caledonian University provides rooms on campus in the city center at Caledonian Court, with excellent shopping facilities and social amenities of the vibrant city center right on the doorstep. For more information on accommodations visit gcu.ac.uk/study/internationalstudents/accommodation. For more information on Glasgow Caledonian, visit gcu.ac.uk.

To apply, fill out a Truman online application and send a statement of purpose, official transcripts, a copy of passport and two letters of recommendation to the Study Abroad Office in Baldwin Hall 106.

For more information, contact the Center for International Education Abroad, Baldwin Hall 106, 660.785.4076, ciea@truman.edu.

The Orientation Committee is seeking enthusiastic, friendly and dedicated students to welcome the Class of 2022 to the Bulldog community through summer orientation.

Orientation welcomes and introduces all first-year students and their families to Truman throughout the month of June and a late session in August. Orientation leaders have access to benefits such as impactful professional experience, a deeper understanding of the University, provided room and board (if needed) and a $1,500 taxable stipend. Applications are open now and are due Dec. 20.
 
To read the full job description and to apply, visit truman.edu/ol or contact orientation coordinator, Shari Fieser with any questions.

In addition to Truman’s sesquicentennial, A.T. Still University is honoring 125 years, and the city of Kirkville is marking 175 years. A limited number of T-shirts commemorating the anniversaries are available for purchase in McClain Hall 202. Cost is $8 for 2XL and 3XL. Cash or check transactions only.

The U.S.-U.K. Fulbright Commission applications for the 2018 U.K. Summer Institute Award Programs for U.S. undergraduates are open.  

The Fulbright U.K. Summer Institute Programs offer students a fantastic opportunity to be immersed in the study of British academics and culture. Students will take part in research, collaboration, presentation and cultural events at an esteemed British university. They will enhance their leadership skills, develop knowledge and understanding of new subjects and become ambassadors for the United Kingdom and the United States.  

Eligible students from all areas of study are encouraged to apply. For summer 2018, there are nine institutes with varied themes and subject areas. These include:

Aberystwyth University Summer Institute      
AIFS Summer Institute with the Globe Education
University of Birmingham Summer Institute
University of Bristol Summer Institute
University of Exeter Summer Institute
University of Sussex Summer Institute
University of Westminster Summer Institute
Queen’s University Belfast Summer Institute
Technology, Innovation and Creativity Summer Institute at the University of Strathclyde and the Glasgow School of Art

To meet the minimum eligibility, applicants must:
•    be a U.S. citizen and possess a U.S. passport;
•    be at least 18 years old;
•    have a high level of academic achievement with a minimum GPA of 3.7 (confirmed by academic marks, awards and references);
•    have at least two years of university study upon their return (i.e. applicants should currently be a freshman or sophomore in college/university)
•    have little or no study/travel experience outside the U.S.
•    be mature, responsible, independent and open-minded

In partnership with U.K. universities, the institute will cover costs, including return U.S./U.K. flights, university fees and room and board at the host U.K. university. Deadline for 2018 is: Feb. 7 for ALL institutes. Programs also vary between three and four weeks. Check the specific institute page for more details. For more information, contact the Fulbright awards staff via email at programmes@fulbright.org.uk.

The Truman baseball team, along with head coach Dan Davis and assistant Shane Herschelman, will conduct a pair of camps, Jan. 13, and accept registrations for their weekly winter hitting camp.
 
The offense/defense camp will begin at 9 a.m. with a cost of $50 per person and is open to campers in grades 10-12. The camp is limited to the first 30 registrations. The camp will instruct players on proper warm-up, hitting mechanics, tee and soft toss work and bunting, as well as throwing and footwork drills and progressions at each position on defense.
 
The pitching/catching camp will run from 1-4 p.m. with a registration time of 12:30 p.m. The cost is $50 and is open to campers aged 9-18. Pitchers will be taught proper warm-up, mechanics and drills emphasizing pick-off moves, pitch grips and live pitching. Catchers will learn proper warm-up techniques, blocking, framing and footwork drills.
 
The hitting camp runs on Sundays from Jan. 14 through Feb. 11 in the small gym. It is open for players in grades 4-12. Players will gain knowledge on how to use their bodies in sequence to produce maximum results by work off of tees, front toss and live batting practice. The cost is $60 per individual player and groups of four may sign up for a discount of price of $200 ($50/player).
 
All camps will take place on campus in Pershing Arena and the small gym.

Rebecca Dierking, assistant professor of English and linguistics, spearheaded a panel discussion of mindfulness in collegiate courses at this year’s National Council Teachers of English convention in St. Louis, Nov. 16-20. Joining her were Donna Strickland, associate professor of English at the University of Missouri, and Zane DeZeeuw, a Truman alumnus and current graduate student at Western Kentucky University. Part of Dierking’s doctoral coursework included Strickland’s mindful writing course, which focused on applying the theories of Robert Boice to the writing process. Upon arriving at Truman, Dierking crafted Mindful Reading, Writing, and Research, basing the course on Strickland’s class but expanding it to include multiple facets of academia. While at Truman, DeZeeuw was a student in Dierking’s initial course offering and has since applied mindfulness tenets to his beginning composition courses at WKU. The title of their panel was “Advocating for Healthier Composition Students: A Mindful Approach.” Dierking also served as a respondent to student presenters in a later session at the convention: “The Future is Now: Exploring 21st-Century Teaching Ideas with the Next Generation of English Teachers.”

Women’s soccer players Allison Lockett and Laura Ney were named to the 2017 United Soccer Coaches Division II All-Midwest Region team. Ney, a junior, was selected to the second team as a defensive player. She earned her second straight first-team All-Great Lake Valley Conference honors earlier this postseason and was a second-team all-region pick last year. Ney played all 1,630 minutes this season as the center back and registered one goal on 10 shots. She was a part of seven Bulldog shutouts and helped hold opponents to 4.5 shots on goal per game. Lockett, a senior, was also a first-team all-conference choice and was voted to the third team all-region. This is her second straight year on the all-region team as she was a second-team honoree in 2016. Lockett tied for the team lead in goals with three and added an assist for seven points in 13 games played.

Summer Pennell, assistant professor of English, recently co-edited an educational book, “Possibilities in Practice: Social Justice Teaching in the Disciplines.” The book is for pre- and in-service PK-12 teachers. Pennell even wrote a chapter in the book, together with co-author Dr. Bryan Fede, called “Reading the Math on Marriage Equality: Social Justice Lessons in Middle School.” All of the co-editors of the book are colleagues from Pennell’s Ph.D. program at UNC-Chapel Hill. Together they researched social justice teaching practices, and after presenting their findings on a panel at an AESA conference in 2015, they decided to create an edited volume as there is a lack of published research on social justice education in PK-12. They wanted to find good examples of studies from diverse PK-12 classrooms, so this volume covers a wide variety of grade levels and subjects.

The Truman State University Foundation has applications for 2018 Study Abroad Foundation Scholarships available now. These are scholarships established by generous alumni and friends of the University.

Scholarships are for students studying abroad through a Truman-sponsored program. To apply, log in to TruView, go to the Student Tab, Student Finances, Foundation Scholarship Application. Applications can be revised any time prior to the Jan. 31 deadline.

Naked Nutrition is offering a new scholarship to help the next generation of leaders with their education expenses. Qualifying students can receive a scholarship of up to $1,500 for the 2018 academic year. Students must show academic excellence, community involvement and personal character. Selection will be merit based.

Students will need:
•    A statement summarizing the need for this scholarship and their plans for pursuing a career. In addition, include any notable achievements. Limit to 500 words.
•    High school or college transcripts for the last year only.
•    At least one letter of recommendation covering personal character. Ideally, these letters should come from a professor, manager or coach.

To apply for the scholarship, submit the items below by email to scholarship@nkdnutrition.com. Deadline for application is Aug. 1, 2018.

For more information go to nkdnutrition.com/pages/academic-scholarship. Questions can be directed to scholarship@nkdnutrition.com or the Center for International Education, Baldwin Hall 106, 660.785.4076, ciea@truman.edu.